


give it up (now)

by x (ordinary)



Series: Persona 4 Ficlets [4]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 17:11:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4530288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ordinary/pseuds/x
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adachi nudges the coin from knuckle to knuckle, bored and restless both. Nothing in the world has caused more trouble than boredom, and who is he to disappoint?</p>
            </blockquote>





	give it up (now)

Adachi nudges the coin from knuckle to knuckle, bored and restless both. Nothing in the world has caused more trouble than boredom, and who is he to disappoint? 

He shrugs into his coat– it’s after hours, the case is, of course, unsolvable and so no progress has been made and so they’re running in circles, the old dogs, stupid and blind– and heads for the door, shrugging into it and lighting a cigarette in two smooth motions. Not because he's smooth, but because it’s practised. _A ritual_. 

Smoke plumes out from his lips, evidence of impending mortality, evidence that Adachi is mortal and not much else down to the marrow of his bones. Just one more, and then it’ll be time to leave the shopping district, where his feet has carried him, a walk that’s also a ritual. The halfway mark to home.

And Yu is there, studying the bus schedule, like he’s not waiting for Adachi but Adachi is-- despite all evidence to the contrary-- anything but a fool.

(He never stops to think that Yu knows that. His cover too ironclad, his defenses impenetrable. If only he’d not had the ego. But then who would he be?)

“Yu-Kun!” Adachi calls, approaching with a bemused look on his face, cigarette still in hand. “What brings you out so late, huh? Not going out on the town, are you?” He smiles and it’s easy, and Yu smiles back and there’s nothing behind it. It takes one to know one.

“Ah, Adachi-San. I tutor, sometimes. But it seems I’ve missed the last bus.” Polite to the last, this one. He turns to face Adachi and blink almost owlish, that kind of lost that’s waiting for a reaction rather than guidance. It always is. 

It drives Adachi crazy, sets his teeth sharp. Who does he think he’s fooling? That rotten core of his is visible a mile off, so why is Adachi the only one who can see it?

“You should enjoy your youth, Yu-Kun. While you’ve still got time to do it. Don’t be like me,  _pissing_ it all away, hahah!” He rubs a hand behind his head, huffing like he’s said too much. Adachi always does, every time a practiced leak, and this time is no mistake either.

Everything is a test, the pushing of boundaries, searching for footholds.

“What would you recommend I do, Adachi-San?” Yu asks, eyes dark under the streetlights, and reaches to take the cigarette from Adachi's hand, taking a long draw himself, not breaking eye contact.


End file.
